Posted by Brad on March 03, 2001 at 00:39:05:
There is a small cove at one of our outlying islands that i have been visiting for the last few years. Three years ago i discovered a small cave which held many lobster, crab, several moray eels, and a huge abalone. I have been visiting and photographing those delightful creatures since i have discovered them. I used the abalone as sort of a 'canary in a coal mine' to determine if any other divers had been there. (it is very easy to see where the hunters have been)
I was there about 6 weeks ago and what i saw was very disturbing. Up until that point i had never seen any evidence of the presence of others in that cove. The last time i went there my eel friend of 3 years was gone! the abalone was gone! there was broken kelp and other destruction all around the area.
Over time i had developed a relationship with that eel. At first he was shy, but later he would come out when i called him. I have dozens of pictures of him that i had taken over the years. I was very fond of this old fellow with the funny shaped jaw. I gave him a live squid once and i sware he was so happy he scrunched up taller than he was long and had the look of a cheshire cat, i treasure that picture.
When i go back to that place it is not the same, it will never be the same. What am i to make of this? How am i to contain my resentment?